Local Washington State NRA Chapter responds to shooting

This morning, I called up members of the Washington State Rifle and Pistol Association—the official state affiliate of the National Rifle Association—to get their reactions to day's mass elementary-school shooting in Connecticut. I wanted to find out what NRA members proposed in order to keep our school children and malls and movie theaters and other public spaces safe. Here are their thoughts: Legislative Chairman Joe Waldron, 66, Bellevue: What are your thoughts on today's school shooting, which is just the last in a long line of public shootings? It’s difficult to comment; We don’t know the details of what occurred yet.I have no doubt that we’re going to see 100 new laws proposed in Olympia, another 100 in DC. But the bottom line is, in almost every instance when a mass shooting like this occurs, it occurs in an area where guns are prohibited. This creates an environment where people can’t protect themselves. When you have a psychopath deciding that he wants to make some type of a statement, historically those are the places they choose—places where guns are prohibited. What’s also historically true, the police are never there in time to stop the individual. Even when they’re apprehended, it’s usually after the shooter has stopped shooting. Are you suggesting that the school teachers should’ve been armed?We’ll never know! Am I advocating arming all teachers? Not necessarily. But current state laws prohibit them from being armed and I’m questioning whether that’s the best policy. If guns were as evil as people claim they are, you’d hear about mass shootings at gun shows. Never happens. Police stations. Again, never happens. These things only happen when these nutcases are able to go someplace knowing that they’re perfectly safe to do what they want to do.[b}

10. Okay, we can just go on mourning our dead little people. I'm certain that those parents

11. My little town where nothing happens has a police officer on duty and a metal detector

It is expensive because adding an extra police officer means health care, pension and everything. We decided to go with the real thing instead of a security guard because it is really the gold standard. Our population is under 6,000 but it was a very popular addition for the grammar school.

12. I totally agree with that. Teachers should not have to be policemen/women, cause they are

13. At all my kids schools

you go into an entry hall. There are doors there that can only be opened from the inside. You have to go into the office, show ID, state the reason you are there and then they will open the door for you if need be. Is this a fool proof precaution, no. It is better than placing armed guards at every door.

It may have not even work in this scenerio. Perhaps not allowing personal visitors, without prior approval would be a good rule.

8. Are they seriously advocating teachers across the country arm themselves?

THIS is the society they want? Where fucking elementary school teachers have to be armed? And how do they propose teachers keep the weapons secure from the kids while still being accessible at a moment's notice?